File of Life Program

Imagine that you are injured or suffer from a medical condition that temporarily renders you unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate effectively with fire and rescue personnel. Without important information about your medical problems, how will the firefighters be able to quickly diagnose your condition and provide effective care? Without knowing what medicines you take, how will the paramedics know which drugs they can safely administer to you? Finally, without emergency contact information, how will the police let your relatives or caregivers know what has happened?

Enter the File of Life… The File of Life is a form that you keep on your refrigerator door that provides to emergency personnel critical medical and emergency contact information at times when you may not be able to provide that information yourself. Using the File of Life , first responders can check your known medical conditions, ascertain what medications you may be taking, find out about any recent surgeries you may have had, and see if you are allergic to any medications. We also can use the information found in the File of Life to let your relatives and caregivers know about your medical emergency.

The File of Life provides area to list contact information for your doctor, provide insurance information, and describe any other special circumstances that rescue personnel should know in caring for you.

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Free File of Life packets are available upon request to all City of Fairfax residents. The packet consists of a door decal, a File of Life information card and a vinyl cardholder used to place the card on your refrigerator door. Each person in the home who has a medical or physical condition that could require emergency care needs to have their own File of Life.

If you would like to request a File of Life for yourself or for someone else that lives in the City of Fairfax, please call 703.385.7830 (TTY: 711) or complete the online form.

If you live in Fairfax County, VA please contact the Fire Station nearest to your home address: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fire-ems/fire-stations. If you are unable to reach your nearest Fire Station, please contact the Fairfax County Public Affairs and Life Safety Education office at 703-246-3801 or TTY 711